Australia makes bad TV, and we love it!
Reviewing Australian television ratings can be scary. In the past week, the shows with the highest ratings are as follows: Married at First Sight, Nine News, Seven News, Married at First Sight, Married at First Sight and, you guessed it, Married at First Sight. As I’m writing this, I am required to wear noise cancelling headphones to block out the sound of my mother’s gasps and commentary throughout every episode. A quick social media search of #MAFS or #MAFSAU paints the picture of Australia’s love/hate relationship and complete devotion to the show.
While Married at First Sight ratings are through the roof, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the quality of popular Australian television is declining, with broadcasters going to extreme lengths to engage viewers.
As Australia is a proud nation with fascinating history and narratives, regulations have been put in place to ensure that the media is contributing to a sense of national identity. Screen Australia outlines television and industry content regulations including a 55% local content broadcasting quota for free-to-air networks between 6am and midnight. ABC and SBS charters require those government networks to contribute to a sense of national identity and promote diversity within Australia’s multicultural society.
The subscription television industry contributes to the promotion of Australian content through expenditure schemes that require subscription television drama channels to invest a minimum of 10% of total expenditure on new Australian drama content.
While networks are sufficiently meeting content quotas, the threat of online streaming platforms has seen a decline in free-to-air revenue and ratings. These platforms pose a threat to the Australian television industry, as local content is painfully underrepresented. In 2018, streaming giant Netflix Australia hosted an embarrassing 1.6% of Australian content, with 82 Australian titles out of 4,959. Stan also disappointed, with only 11.1% of local content. While this includes the legendary Hamish and Andy’s Gap Years, it’s still not enough considering this is an Australian platform!
Broadcasting networks are emploring streaming services to apply content quotas or expenditure schemes in order to level the playing field and support the Australian television industry. The Make it Australian campaign seeks to support the Australian film and television industry by enforcing content quotas, competitive tax offsets and funding to public and broadcasting screen agencies.
While broadcasting companies feel that content quotas are unfair when competing with streaming platforms, great local content can be and has been produced as a result. Success stories like Wentworth, a raw and confronting depiction of life in prison for Australian women, showcase the Australian spirit in an engaging way, attracting global viewers. Wentworth has now been commissioned by Foxtel to remain on air until 2021. It is also currently airing on ABC on a weekly basis.
The Australian television industry is scattered with shows of high calibre that succeed on a global level. However, Australian television companies must broadcast popular shows that appeal to the masses, sometimes compromising integrity. The shows that get the highest ratings can often be questionable at best. Australians love reality television, whether it’s singing, cooking, renovating or falling in love.
Shows like Married at First Sight and My Kitchen Rules engage audiences through cheap tactics and unscripted, but manipulated situations. Excessive promotion of exaggerated villains and blow-ups are examples of tactics that demand views. I myself am guilty of needing to see Manu’s “scolding of a lifetime”. These types of promotions lure audiences to watch at set times. Captivating ploys are imperative for free-to-air television companies to compete with streaming platforms.
Viewers support trashy reality television and/or foreign content as they’re made to appeal to the masses. However, Australian free-to-air channels are unable to rely on international drama imports for ratings as they are often available on streaming platforms. When reality television, despite being often tawdry, costs far less to produce than scripted Australian dramas and racks up the highest ratings, why wouldn’t networks choose to invest in them to help compete with online platforms?
Ideally, high-caliber Australian television content should be prioritised in the industry. Employing policies and regulations that ensure sufficient funding is invested in the production of quality local content is vital for the Australian television industry to survive and thrive, especially when competing against online platforms. There are talented and creative minds in Australia, able to produce content that stands against international competitors.
